Chapter 2027: Integrating Powerful Traits

Rex’s brows furrowed.

Confusion dawned upon him as he felt like he was being cheated.

He was shown a snippet of the three Origin-rank bloodlines and how they operated through their memories, but somehow, the last bloodline, the Progenitor of Beast, showed him nothing. Just a thick darkness with nothing to show for it.

And for some reason, the System acted as if that wasn’t the case.

System, explain why there was no peek for the Progenitor of Beast bloodline.

<Notice: All of the introduction displays for the four unlocked Origin-rank bloodlines had already been delivered.>

Delivered how? The last one didn’t show me anything!

No answer.

Rex could only sigh exasperatedly as the System could be difficult sometimes. He was quite excited to see the introduction display for the Progenitor of Beast bloodline since it was the only bloodline that he had never heard of.

But alas, all it got to show him was darkness.

"I did feel like suspended underwater, but that could be anything."

He focused back on the hovering cards.

Out of the four unlocked Origin-rank bloodlines and their varying traits, Rex could only pick three that could be seamlessly integrated into the Greater Lycan race. And that put a question into his mind. "System, how did you calculate the number of traits I can integrate? Is it through the ritual?"

<Negative.>

<Divinity gained from the First Blood Claim Ritual was calculated and used to unlock the Origin-rank bloodlines. Due to the overwhelming amount of divinity, the three bloodline limit was shattered, which unlocked the fourth bloodline.>

<As for the number of traits—it was calculated by the amount the user’s body could endure. A stronger physique would allow the user to integrate more traits.>

Rex clicked his tongue in displeasure.

He should’ve known that his physique would be taken into account through the Bloodline Evolution.

"But wait—I already used the Longevity of Realms and the Deadly Celestial Corpse Solution to enhance my body temporarily. Does that also count? Or is it only my original physicality that was counted?"

Considering how powerful his body was through using those two items, Rex was quite certain that his physicality would be strong enough to integrate a lot more traits—as his corpse body now was as strong as a recently dead God.

It was basically a cheat that he didn’t consciously calculate.

Either way, his body now should be able to handle more than three traits.

<Notice: the number of traits the user can integrate is determined by the user’s current physique. And without the enhancements from the Longevity of Realms and the Deadly Celestial Corpse Solution, the user would have been limited to a single trait.>

"Oh..." Rex smiled sheepishly. "It’s already accounted for, huh."

Rex was expecting more, as the number of traits was less than the number of unlocked bloodlines.

But he had underestimated how demanding the process of integrating a single trait would be.

For even his current physique to only earn three traits was quite surprising.

Either way—Rex would make use of what he had to better prepare himself for the Purgation Duel. Other than needing to win in order to secure his alliance with High Lord Rashal, he also needed to win it for the Uncrowned Matron of Ire.

Breaking his oath to her sounded really dangerous.

It was especially so after he saw her lock Mayar without much difficulty.

Rex looked at the hovering cards, and then remembered what the System said earlier.

"System, you said that the amount of divinity broke the threshold limit—and opened the fourth Origin-rank bloodline. Does that mean there are levels to these bloodlines? Despite being in the same rank, is there hierarchy among them?"

All of them were Origin-rank bloodlines.

But the System made it seem like there is a hierarchy to them.

One bloodline is objectively stronger than the rest.

Had it not been the case, it would be odd for the fourth slot to open through overflowing divinity.

<Yes.>

"Arrange the cards. Left-most is the lowest, and right-most is the highest."

As soon as the last word left his lips, the hovering cards began to change positions based on the invisible hierarchy within the Origin rank. And frankly, when the cards settled to their real positions, Rex was a bit surprised.

On the left-most as the Original Werewolf bloodline.

And then followed by the Black Omicron, White Omicron, and then the Progenitor of Beast.

Considering the faulty display, he was surprised that the Progenitor of Beast bloodline was the strongest.

Regardless, Rex began to read through each one slowly—absorbing every word and every trait that lay embedded within the four bloodlines. And he soon realized that when the System mentioned traits, that meant abilities.

Abilities that were ready to be integrated into his Greater Lycan race the moment he chose them.

And that was better in Rex’s opinion.

He had feared he would inherit a bloodline trait that would need time to mature, but that wasn’t the case at all. Instead, he would gain the abilities from any of these four bloodlines—and have his new body morphed to be able to use those abilities.

Perfect for his approaching battle.

Not to mention, they were Divine-rank abilities. All of them.

Every single ability listed on those four cards carried the weight of the divine, the kind of power that could reshape battlefields and change the course of battles. The temptation to simply take them all was almost overwhelming, but the System had already told him the limit.

Only three choices—three abilities.

Rex would have to be strategic in picking the abilities.

He studied the first card. The Original Werewolf bloodline. It was the purest expression of what it meant to be a werewolf, the origin of his kind—the source from which the werewolf race had descended. Its abilities enhanced werewolf prowess to the absolute limit.

Picking an ability from this bloodline would make his werewolf side even more fearsome.

Pushing it beyond the boundaries of what any living werewolf had achieved.

As for the second card, it was the Black Omicron bloodline.

Its focus was different—defense and support, even stretching to the subtle power of fortune.

A unique bloodline that bent probability, that shielded its bearer with the favour of fate itself. It was not flashy, but it was enduring. The kind of power that kept one alive when the universe became hostile. A perfect power for the Purgation Law.

For the third card, it was the White Omicron bloodline.

Rex paused here, reading the traits carefully. It was strong—immensely strong—but its purpose was to eliminate the blatant weaknesses of werewolves. Silver. Banes. Wrath. All the things that had plagued the werewolf race since their kind existed.

It was a shield against the worst of what his enemies could throw at him.

Moreover, it was also equipped with the kit to kill its kind.

Rex had seen it in play earlier, so the words he was reading were somewhat as he had expected.

And then there was the fourth and last card—the Progenitor of Beast.

It was the strongest bloodline of them all.

Rex’s eyes moved from card to card—his mind working through the possibilities.

Since he only has three choices, he has to eliminate one bloodline.

His eyes fixated on the White Omicron’s card. It was really powerful, but he could feel the shape of his evolution already changing. The Greater Lycan race wasn’t merely an upgrade—it was a transformation of his whole existence.

A fusion between both sides of his power, human and werewolf.

Naturally, the chance would blur the lines between their strengths and weaknesses.

Some of the crippling vulnerabilities that plagued pure werewolves would fade, or at least become more resistant. The White Omicron, for all its power, would become redundant. He didn’t need a shield against weaknesses he was already outgrowing.

So, he eliminated the White Omicron bloodline.

Adhara would be the one who would keep things in order when I’m away. Let’s give her exclusivity to the White Omicron’s power. I am sure even when I became a Greater Lycan, she would retain the White Omicron’s power even once she morphed, too.

And that left three bloodlines. And now, he needed to choose wisely.

It was time to pick the abilities.

But since he had already read through all of them, he already knew what he wanted to take.

From the Original Werewolf, he selected the Domination of the First Beast.

During the introduction display that the System showed him through the Original Werewolf’s lens, Rex picked one power that caught his eye the most. It was the ability to call forth the souls of the dead and use them as a shield.

Death would mean nothing to him once he got his hands on it.

Caraptaros’ immortality only applied if he was in his original body, so this would be an additional layer to help him survive the Purgation Duel. Once he picked that ability—the word splashed into sparkling energy and shot into his body.

Even before the morphing process, Rex had already felt the resonance of the power in his bones.

A claim to the primal power that had existed since the first werewolf had raised its head to howl.

From the Black Omicron, he chose the Fortuna Omicron.

It has a vague description about granting him the aura of fortune that was tied directly to the darkest side of the moon. Even though it was vague—Rex also had arranged the invisible hierarchy of the traits, and this one sits at the very top.

He was deliberating to take the area healing ability called the Splash of Black Heal.

Judging from the name, Rex reckoned it was also the ability that the Black Omicron used to shatter the metallic silver sphere. Summoning the black dot that turned into a rain—one that healed all werewolves that got him by it.

And the description made it clear that he was right.

It blocked any energy-based attack and if successfully shattered, would turn into the rain.

But regardless, he chose the Fortuna Omicron.

Once he made the decision—the light seeped into his body, and a subtle shift occurred in the air around him. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable, but he recognized it for what it must be the blessing of fortune from the ability.

One that would make him and his surroundings lucky.

And luck, in the right hands, could be deadlier and extremely useful in battle.

Finally, he turned to the final card—the Progenitor of Beast. The strongest bloodline of them all. Rex’s eyes narrowed as he read through the traits listed on the card, and then realized that there was only one trait that he could obtain from it.

Just one ability to complete his evolution.

"Originality of the Beast...?"

Rex read the description, and then his eyes widened to realize that it wasn’t a divine-rank ability.

It was a transcendent-rank ability.

Choosing this meant he would gain his second Transcendent-rank skill, and that would be perfect.

He had read the description earlier and was enthralled by the effect, but he didn’t realize that it was not a divine-rank skill but a transcendent-rank skill. Rex’s lips curled into a brutal smile as he immediately picked that ability.

And with that, all three choices were used.

Rex’s consciousness was pulled away again.

And the world around him collapsed into darkness as the next phase of his evolution began.

Outside, in the fractured stillness of the Great Pale Court—Aylith and Lilliana stood watch. Their eyes were fixed on the silver cocoon that encased Rex, its surface no longer smooth but pulsing with a deep, rhythmic throb

And then, it shone bright as a dying sun and detonated.

Kaboom—!

The shockwave that was created spread across the entire Great Pale Court—bleaching the surroundings in a silvery hue. And the broken realm itself seemed to cry as the cocoon shattered into a million shards that lingered in the air like dust.

Once it receded, the two looked back and saw a brilliant figure of pure power.

A new living being manifested—the Greater Lycan had been born.